ROBERTSDALE, Ala. (July 14, 2016) -- A leadership team from Robertsdale, AL- based, Bay Wood Products (BWP) traveled to Washington in early June to meet with members of Congress and their staff members. Bay Wood President and founder Jimmy Wilson, along with BWP lumber buyer Walker Wilson, joined a delegation from the National Wooden Pallet & Container Association (NWPCA) for the visit.

The NWPCA Congressional Fly-in, on June 7-8 in Washington, was held in conjunction with the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM) 2016 Manufacturing Summit. Manufacturers from across the U.S. met with legislators to advocate for policies that play a critical role in the nation’s economic growth. Larry Howell, President of Cottondale Wood Products, Tuscaloosa, AL and Jimmy Wilson, President of Bay Wood Products, Robertsdale, AL (pictured above), are both active on the NWPCA executive board.

Jimmy and Walker Wilson, residents of Pensacola, FL, along with Howell a resident of Tuscaloosa, AL attended scheduled meetings with aids for Florida Senator Marco Rubio and Alabama Senator Richard Shelby. In addition, Wilson said they talked with Senator Shelby and Congressman Gary Palmer, AL 6th District, during the visit. Walker Wilson met with staff for Alabama Congressman Bradley Byrne.

A key lesson from the trip, Jimmy Wilson said, was the realization that members of Congress and their staffs want to hear from constituents back home: “They encouraged us to call and email to let them know when we have an issue, or if there is a policy we didn’t think is right. They seemed to genuinely want to hear about what we had to say.” (Photo: Jimmy Wilson)

Wilson said he wants to encourage others to do the same, so their voices can be clearly heard on Capitol Hill. During the trip, Jimmy Wilson also participated in NWPCA Board of Directors meetings for strategic planning sessions related to the $11.5 billion wooden pallet industry.

About Bay Wood Products Inc.

Since 1994, Bay Wood Products has been a full service manufacturer of wooden pallets, rough cut lumber, dunnage, and custom crates with a recent expansion into the biofuel and mulch markets. Bay Wood crafts pallets of all sizes and specifications for big industry, large chemical companies, manufacturers, local farmers and shipping. Using the Pallet Design System (PDS) computerized technology, each pallet is created to meet a customers' specific needs. Large petroleum and chemical companies, as well as steel manufacturers, make up the largest portion of Bay Wood Products' client base. Other company locations are in North Alabama, North Carolina and Texas. For more information about the company, call 251.960.1107 or visit bay-wood-products.com/